Authentic Italian Pesto

This authentic Italian pesto is made with fresh basil and parsley, garlic, olive oil, pine nuts, and parmesan cheese. Delicious on pasta, chicken, or veggies!

Round out your summer Italian feast with some pasta and Authentic Italian pesto. This pesto is traditionally used as a pasta sauce, but would also be good on bruschetta, pizza, chicken, fish, or vegetables.

Authentic Italian Pesto

Description

An authentic Italian pesto, versatile and delicious. This would traditionally be used as a pasta sauce, but would also be good on bruschetta, meats, fish, or vegetables. Recipe courtesy of Monica Pesoli of “Like an Italian” cooking classes, language instruction, and Italy tours.

Scale

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups of basil leaves (no stems), tightly packed

2 tablespoons parsley

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

1/4 cup pine nuts

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, Montebello brand recommended

Instructions

Use all organic ingredients to the greatest extent possible. Wash basil and parsley nonetheless; de-vein basil leaves w/ largest veins.

Add to a blender parsley, half the oil, garlic, nuts, cheese, and some salt if desired. Puree with lid on.

Turn off blender, and add all basil, drizzling remaining oil over leaves. With blender off and using a rubber spatula, help to direct leaves under the blades by forcing them down along the sides of the blender. With the lid on, pulse the blender switch a number of times, catching leaves in the blades to puree. Continue to alternate forcing leaves down the sides of the blender towards the blades (with blender off and lid removed), and pulsing blender switch with lid on to puree leaves.

Pesto is ready when leaves are evenly pureed, but mixture still has some texture (with no leafy bits). Use as pasta topping/sauce or on a multitude of other foods!

Cook Love Heal

Chef Rachel Zierzow helps people create healthy lives through her down to earth approach to cooking, eating, and enjoying life. Check out her delicious recipes and useful healthy living tips at cookloveheal.com.

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